Reliability of the ultrasound classification system of thyroid nodules in predicting malignancy
- Author:
Farihah Abd Ghani
1
Author Information
1. Department of Radiology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Center, Cheras, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- Collective Name:Farihah Abd Ghani; Nurismah Md Isa; Husyairi Harunarashid; Shahrun Niza Abdullah Suhaimi; Radhika Sridharan
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
Ultrasound;
Thyroid Nodules;
Thyroid Carcinoma;
Fine Needle Aspiration Biopsy
- From:
The Medical Journal of Malaysia
2018;73(5):263-271
- CountryMalaysia
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
Aim: This study aims to evaluate the reliability of the
Ultrasound (U) Classification system in predicting thyroid
malignancy by using pathology diagnosis as the reference
standard.
Materials and Methods: It was a cross sectional study
carried out at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical
Centre (UKMMC), Malaysia. Records of patients with focal
thyroid nodules on ultrasound (US) for which US guided fine
needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) was performed and
pathology results were available, from January 2014 to May
2016 were selected for review. Correlation of the U
Classification with pathology results was assessed.
Sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio, negative
likelihood ratio, predictive value, negative predictive value
and accuracy were calculated in a conservative and nonconservative
method. The threshold for statistical
performance was set at 0.05. Each sonographic feature was
also compared with its pathology results.
Results: A total of 91 patients with 104 nodules were eligible.
12 nodules out of 104 (11.5%) were malignant. The
sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio, negative
likelihood ratio, positive predictive value, negative
predictive value and accuracy were 100%, 91.3%, 11.5, 0.0,
60%, 100% and 92.3%, and 100%, 91.4%, 11.7, 0.0, 78.6%,
100% and 93.5%, for the non-conservative and conservative
method of calculations respectively.
Conclusion: The U Classification is reliable in predicting
thyroid malignancy. More evidence is nevertheless
necessary for widespread adaptation and use.
- Full text:6.2018my1323.pdf